Pets are Talking

Bringing Billy Back

From time to time, we intuitive animal communicators trade with each other. When you can get a good read on your friend's pet, and your friend is a communicator too, it's incredibly edifying. 

So, when Janet Roper, an excellent communicator from Minneapolis asked me to talk with her cat, Billy, I was ready to help her out. 

Billy is a sensitive cat who gets frightened a lot. He's afraid to come down to his mom's music studio. He's a sweet, handsome grey tabby with a big heart. Janet asked me if I could facilitate some emotional healing. 

I've been working on a healing modality with my people clients. It resolves issues in the energetic body and creates lasting emotional changes. I thought I'd try it on Billy. 

Animals have chakras just like people. We have experiences and beliefs that impact our energetic system and when we're not feeling energetically whole, we behave in ways that aren't good for us. 

So, I worked through Billy's chakras, facilitating energetic healing. It's a technique that's similar to theta healing, but focused specifically on chakras. 

I also made him a custom floral essence blend with 26 floral essences to support his energetic health. 

Billy was so sweet. When I tuned in with him, he mentioned that he wanted to learn to not be afraid of children. Janet told me later that as a kitten, in a previous home, Billy had been severely abused by a child. Janet was touched that Billy was willing to work on that. Billy also wanted to get over his fear of dogs. A new dog, Max, was going to be joining their family. 

I talked with Billy again a few weeks later. He felt so strong. He had made some major steps in becoming more brave, meeting the new dog, coming downstairs. Janet said that everyday she watched him decide whether he was going to take another step in his courage. Over the time, day by day, he was slowly leaving his demons behind. 

Janet asked me to tell him  that she thought Billy had been extraordinarily brave and intelligent in the way he had gone about meeting the new dog. 

Billy said “I just put it in my head that I was going to get through this. I am keeping my wits about me.“ 

The important thing to understand is that Billy was ready to not be afraid anymore. He did the work. My work with him was supportive, facilitating healing. It was his intentions that drove my work. It was his force that healed him. I'm really happy that I could help. 

I'm looking forward to offering this healing modality on a case-by-case basis to other pets, and to offer custom floral essence blends as well. 

Sebastian Redecorates

From time to time, I come across kitties that want to redecorate. They are nearly always male, and nearly always a wee bit snarky. 

Sebastian is one of these fine fellows. He knocks over his mom's stuff all the time. 

This is Sebastian with his buddy, Oskar. 

I asked Sebastian about the knocking over of stuff. 

I said, "Sebastian, why do you knock things over?"

He showed me a couple of cylinders. I thought maybe they were pillars of some kind, like very modern pillars that you could put a candle on top. It turns out they were cylindrical containers that Caroline uses to store binder clips and push pins. 

He said, "I don't like these. They should be in larger groupings, and in odd numbers."

 He showed me a cluster of 5 or so pillars standing together. They did look quite stylish. 

Caroline laughed when she heard this. She said that she always thought her cat was giving her interior decorating advice. 

I wonder if there's a market for cats like this, and also, I wonder if this is why my cat knocks jewelry off my dresser! 

Training Tuesday- Using the right energy to catch your pet

In the book, The River Why, a man hooks a salmon with a 3 lb. test line. This is light enough to break with any resistance. He follows this salmon all night feeling the energy of the salmon through this tenuous filament. The salmon gets used to his presence, so used to it that he can enter the water and pick it up, should he choose. For the man, it is a spiritual experience.

I've had spiritual experiences with my horse, following him around the pasture, looping left and right as he turns and faces, and stops and decides whether I can come closer or whether I'm just fine right there. 

Mostly I can walk up, touch his shoulder, say hello, groom at liberty. This all changes when the farrier comes. Ed likes his farrier. She's kind and gentle and pretty quick. But Ed is not a fan of the pedicure. And thus, our game of catch is far more difficult.

The energy technique that I use to catch Ed is also good for catching any pet who needs grooming or medicine. 

The first thing that's important is this mindset: you have all day. If there is any outside chance that you will give up on catching your pet, you've already lost. A smart pet will wait you out. 

Secondly, Don't over-identify with your pet's potential discomfort. If you think, "Oh my poor baby needs to get a shot today!", your cat will not come out from under the bed. Instead, think, "This is a necessary part of life, and it's going to be okay." (Because it is and it is). 

Third, approach your pet in a way that doesn't signify you're a predator. Pet brains will always pick up on predator behavior. For horses, this means that I can't walk straight up to Ed. Instead, I walk in curves, s-shapes. I walk with gentle determination. 

I feel for Ed's energy. I get him just to the point where he's going to take off, and then I stop and back off. When his energy dies down, I take a step closer, and wait. Slowly, we get to the point where he's comfortable with me touching his shoulder, and neck. Then he's ready to be haltered. 

For cats and dogs, I usually walk into the room that they're in, shut the door and sit down. They approach and as soon as they get close enough, I pick them up. If they're not coming close to me, I settle in a few feet away. 

Again, it's important to keep a gentle and loving, but determined mindset. 

Also, do not hurry. Hurrying creates urgency which creates a sense of panic. Every healthy creature avoids panic. 

I know that as soon as I post this, someone is going to ask, "Hey, how does this work with my dog at the park?" 

Getting your dog to come to you at the park is a combination of last week's Tuesday Training and this one. Your dog has to know to pay attention to you first. Again, if there is any chance in your head that they will get to stay and play, they're staying and playing. :) 

I hope this helps you today! 

When the Honeymoon is Over

 God made animals cute for the same reason he made babies cute. There are times when that cuteness is a saving grace! 

To wit: the dog who recently ate all the payroll checks for her parent's business; the cat that likes to jump on counters, jumping right into a full pan of delicious frosted brownies; the horse who has learned how to untie any knot with her dextrous mouth, and thus, cannot be trusted to be tied anywhere. 

(These are all from pets I've met this week!)

We're attracted to pets for a specific reason. Animals comes into our lives to teach us something that we need to learn about ourselves and the world we live in. We, in turn, are here to enrich their lives. 

This circle of love and learning and enrichment seems possible, even easy when the new pet comes into our lives. They're cute! And they are ours! 

Pets are usually on their best behavior, until they get comfortable. For some, this is about 30 seconds. 

What happens when things start to skew chaotic and your new pet starts doing things that are not, in any sense of the word, appropriate? What do you do? 

Here's what you do. Get a cup of tea. Sit down. Remember back to when you first saw your new friend.

What was it that you saw in this creature that you wanted for yourself? What is it that this pet is here to teach you? 

See your pet as you first saw your pet. Because the pet you see now and the pet you saw then are the same pet. 

Don't assume that your decision was a mistake. A naughty pet is a chance for us to realign our lives. 

I would LOVE to hear about your naughty pet stories, and what you may have leaned from a naughty pet.Please Comment!

Right now, though, I am going to talk with my cat Leo, who has the awful habit of clearing my desk to find a place to sleep (ignoring the perfectly good wicker basket that I've put on my desk for that specific reason). 

Honor the Now of Your Pet

It's snowing like a Christmas card as I write this. I like how snow falls. I like its relentlessness. It just keeps coming. 

When I was at the Tired Dog Ranch this weekend, I got to thinking about the stories we tell each other about our pets. People who rescue are particularly invested in the painful pasts of their pets. 

I do this too. I will say, "Oh well, that Benny, he never grew into his paws. See, he was a street pup." Never mind that he's spent the last six years with a full belly. 

What's the problem with this? Well, it doesn't matter much for Benny, because he's way past his story. 

I've seen horses cringe with embarrassment as their owners relate their painful past to a passing stranger. I've heard dogs tell me that they're damaged goods because they spent some time at the shelter, and because their owner keeps talking about it. 

I am not saying to deny the past. Abused and neglected pets feel better when they've told their story. That's them doing the telling, not us. 

To repeat your pet's sad story is to keep your pet, at some level, in that place of pain. When you catch yourself telling the story, ask yourself why. There's a reason that you do it, and it may enlighten you to know it.

Today, honor the now of your pet. Tell today's story. Today's story, for Ben, includes a walk down to the park and an afternoon cheese snack (and also, probably getting his nails cut). 

I'd like you to try this on. Instead of seeing your pet wearing the trappings of the past, just describe him or her in today's setting. 

And then, do that with you. Honor the Now of You. 

Reading of the Week: Wyatt

It's the first reading of the New Year! 

This is Wyatt: 

Wyatt is a papillon, who lives with his owners, Tamara and Bob and his brother Jesse. Wyatt had a difficult start in life. He was the smallest of 9 papillons in one house. He had to fight for his share of the food. 9 papillons made such a racket that his first owner had him debarked. 

When Tamara and Bob brought Wyatt home, he wasn't sure what to do with himself. He quickly decided that Tamara was his saving grace, and bonded deeply to her. 

Tamara, not wanting to subject him to another ounce of pain, didn't discipline him much. She put up with his incessant barking, not coming when called, and going completely bonkers when encountering anyone or any animal on their daily walks. She put up with this for seven and a half years. 

Then, one day, she had enough, especially of the barking. She started trying to make him mind. He refused to sit. He pretty much refused to do anything she wanted. He was sweet, and he'd cuddle, but sitting for his food? Forget about it!

She contacted me. Hearing his back story, I thought that I was going to find a scared little dog. One who was applying the techniques of his old life (barking and not coming when called) to his new life. 

What I found instead was four pounds of dominance. Pound for pound, this is one of the most dominant dogs I've ever met! 

His reason for barking and going crazy when he met new people and animals? It works! They go away. He keeps his mom safe. 

Wyatt told me that his barking scared the strangers he encountered, even the Akita who told him that he was only "two bites". 

Wyatt thought that barking was his job. 

"That's what dogs do," he said. "They bark to keep their owners safe." 

The not sitting and not coming when called? He doesn't feel like it. No-one's the boss of him. He actually called his brother, Jesse, a suck-up! 

Wyatt and I had a talk about how real loving relationships have a sense of give and take. We talked about how he should sit when his mom asks because he loves her and wants her to be happy. 

Wyatt and I worked out some compromises. He offered to come when called "half of the time".  We came up with techniques that Bob and Tamara could use to remind Wyatt of his promises. We ended on a promising note. In the back of my head, though, I could hear my critic saying, "You can't teach old dogs new tricks!"

A couple of weeks after my talk with Wyatt, Tamara wrote with an update on Wyatt's behavior. 

I was waiting to update you when I saw how he was really doing.  He is much better.  When I tell him to come he does most of the time (more than the half the time he promised).  He now sits when I apply a bit of pressure to his rear and he is learning to stay.  Mostly he has really curbed his incessant barking.  I have spent a lot of time thanking him for the way he takes care of us.  I also find that Bob and I are much more understanding now when he barks or doesn't behave and we try to gently thank him for all the hard work he does but remind him that he needs to help us out by behaving.   

Oh, and the hand gesture and pssst sound to remind him not to bark works like a charm.  It is amazing.  I may have to get you to talk to Jesse someday soon so that we can better understand him.  I have always loved Wyatt to pieces but now my heart is even bigger when I look at him and think about how he has worked so hard to protect us all these years.  I could cry thinking about it! 

So, thank you very much.  Your talking to him helped more than I could have ever dreamed possible.

I love being a conduit! 

Keeping Good Feelings in Your Heart

Yesterday morning, I posted about the idea that there is much that is right, good and holy about each of us.

By keeping this truth in our heart, we can move though the day with more peace and joy. From these feelings, we can make informed choices about our lives.  Instead of operating from fear or desperation, we can operate from our natural strengths.

How do we remember that we are intrinsically good? It is like walking away from a grey country and into a green world. WIth every step, the grey falls away and it becomes easier to keep the good in mind. 

Here are the steps that I am using.

1. The first step is to notice when you are painting with the grey brush. If you notice yourself grumping or feeling negative about yourself or someone or your life, say- "this is not all there is".  By saying, "this is not all there is", you drop the judgment aspect of your behavior. You're not saying anything about bad or good, just that there is more to it, no matter what it is. This keeps us from pollyanna-ing, that is, saying "it's all good!" when it's not all good, but perhaps, mostly good. 

2. The second step is to consciously be grateful. Make a list of the things that you are grateful for. If you really find that you can't be grateful for anything (and we all have those days), then start picking up things in your house and ask yourself if your life would be more painful without them. Perhaps it's something as simple as your toothbrush. If you can't find anything to be grateful about, imagine life without your toothbrush. Then spiral out from there! Write the list down to ground the words in your consciousness. 

3. The third step is to move your body. Run, do yoga, dance, if you can. If you can't, tap a finger, waggle your eyelashes, feel joy in your body. We are connected to this physical world. By moving with consciousness, we create energy that grounds us and opens us up at the same time.  

What I love about these steps is that they are free. You don't need anything that you don't already have. 

Let me know how these three steps resonate with you!

Reading of the Week: Pittore

First, let me show you what a peaceful cat looks like:

And, now, this is what happens when his owner wakes him up to get a good picture for the animal communicator:

This is Pittore. Pittore has lived with his family for 10 years, and recently acquired the habit of using the carpet for his personal toilet. 

This is, by far, the number one complaint of cat owners. I wish there was a way for cats to use their urine for good, not evil. 

Pittore's owner, Sarah, asked most respectfully, "would Pittore be willing to un-create this habit for always"?

Pittore wanted me to know two things. First, he had a lot of pain in his kidneys, and secondly, the carpet smelled bad to him. He was using his urine to cover the smell.  

Here's a snippet of our conversation: 

Pittore:  My family is mad at me because of the carpet, and that makes me sad, and my body hurts too.

Bridget: Why are you going on the carpet?

Pittore:  I don’t like how the carpet smells (Pittore sends me feelings of nausea).

Bridget: Is it something in the carpet? Or is it the carpet?

Pittore:  I don’t understand.

Bridget:  Did something spill on the carpet? Or does the carpet always smell bad? Or is it the cleaning soap?

Pittore:  I think something spilled.

  (The smell he’s sending me is faint but it seems like a cooking smell. Like maybe bacon grease? It doesn't smell bad to me. Pittore has a very keen sense of smell. ) 

Bridget:  Do you want to stay where you are living?

Pittore:  Yes, but they have to get rid of this carpet. 

Bridget:  Okay, here’s your choice- Do you want to stay with your family and the carpet or do you want to go live somewhere else?

Pittore:  I want to stay with my family and the carpet. I like my family. 

Bridget:  You need to stop peeing on the carpet.

Pittore:  Can they do something about the smell of it?

Bridget: I think your mom would be willing to try.  She loves you dearly and wants you to be happy. But she can’t have her house smelling like pee.

Pittore: I don’t think it smells so bad.

Bridget:  Well, to people, it is a very bad smell.  (I can tell his feelings are hurt by this). Don’t feel bad about it. It’s not that you’re a bad cat, but it’s just, we don’t notice some smells, and then we notice others. It’s not a judgment of you. It’s just the way we humans are.

Pittore: So, you don’t notice the smell in the carpet, but you notice and don’t like my smell.

Bridget: Yes.

Pittore: That’s just weird. 

I agreed with him that it was just weird. Smell is a personal thing. 

Pittore agreed to stop. Pittore told me that he felt good knowing that his mom cares about him.  

Here's an email that I received from Pittore's mom today: 

"Just wanted to share with you quickly the changes in Pittore since your chat with him.  He's nearly a different cat!  He has become MUCH more affectionate and cuddly.  He's stopped getting onto the kitchen counters & into the garbage.  He plays a bit more with the dogs...chasing their tails when they're feeling waggy!  And no more toileting on the carpet, of course.  (Still trying to find a good natural cleaner for that.)" 

Ah, Pittore! Thank you! Glad you feel better!

His mom went on to say that she was taking him to the vet to get his kidneys looked at, and that she was going to change his food and try some floral essences to help get his urinary tract back on track.

Update! Not 10 minutes after I posted about Pittore's success, his mom took the dogs for a walk and came home to find a new Pittore puddle. Sigh. He went nearly a week without incident. Going to have a few more words with the boy. 

Are you tired of hearing about the bad state of the economy?

Our dogs are too. I've heard it repeated a number of times in the past month or two. Most dogs don't understand the concept of money. They do understand feelings of lack and the anxiety that comes from not feeling like you have enough. 

Do a favor for you and your dog. Stop worrying about whether you will have enough to live on and be happy. You will. 

This economy crisis is a big fat attitude readjustment. It's a time to turn away from the stuff we spend money on and to turn towards our family and friends. It's a time to take stock on what really matters to you. 

For me, it's my family and it's helping out people and animals. 

Please do two things today. Please tell your pet not to worry about money, and that there will be enough.  And then, please make a little list of the things that really matter to you. Odds are pretty good that the list is non-monetary in nature. 

P.S.- Why did I mention dogs, specifically? Cats aren't really so worried about the economy. They fully expect things to work out. Horses, as a group, are used to hard times. It's the dogs that take our anxieties and worry. I have a worrier at my feet as I write this!  

Motivating Your Pet

Yesterday, I talked about training and communication, and how they go hand in hand. I realized, this morning, that what I'm really talking about is finding your pet's motivation and then helping her realize that her behavior can either help her get her needs met, or keep her from getting her needs met.

Remember Dozer, from yesterday? His greeting behavior at the door was out of hand. 

Dozer was motivated by attention and interaction. He wanted people to say hello, and get to know him. When they didn't, he'd do anything to get their attention. Once he realized how important it was to sit appropriately, and once his parents realized that Dozer really needed people to say hello to him, the situation worked itself out. 

I am happy to report that yesterday, when Dozer's mom came home from work, Dozer didn't jump on her. She was so happy to see this, she praised him up one side and down the other. Dozer's motivation was met. So, next time, Dozer will have this behavior reenforced. 

Granted, there may be a day when Dozer's folks forget that he ever jumped on people, and Dozer may remind them by reverting back to that behavior. I hope that they see it as a reminder to pay attention. I think they will.  

So, perhaps you're saying, "Sure, Bridget, it's easy when you get to hear the dog and tell him what he needs to know.'  You're right, it is easier. So if you need to have your problem solved quickly, hire an animal communicator. 

But, if you want to try it, start by asking "What is my pet's motivation?" 

Don't assume that your pet wants to be bad or is a bad, flawed creature. Your pet is trying to get his needs met in our world. I hope this little meditation on motivation helps you.